Of course, Chelsea’s problem is a shared one, and the likes of John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic must take responsibility for a poor defensive record, while creative players such as Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Oscar are clearly not giving Costa much of a platform on which to shine.

Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao don’t look like terrific alternatives for Jose Mourinho, but for how much longer can Costa be a guaranteed starter if he fails to reproduce the goods that made him so formidable last season?